Showing 21 types of NUISANCE WILDLIFE (MAMMALS)
Latin Name: Lepus californicus
This is a native animal from Washington south throughout Baja California and much of Mexico, and east to Missouri. It’s range is expanding eastward and it has been introduced into the East Coast from Florida north to New Jersey.
Several dozen species of these native animals occur in North America, with the genus Eutamias the predominate western group and Tamias the major eastern group.
Latin Name: Sciurus sp.
These three species are native to North America, but the Eastern gray and Fox squirrel were introduced into the western states where they commonly live in landscaped areas, but not often in natural forests and woodlands. The Eastern gray has also been introduced to Europe where it spread widely and is blamed for displacing the native Red squirrel there.
These are native animals in North America, with varying ranges depending on the species. The Beechey Ground Squirrel occurs along the Pacific Coast and into Baja California, the Columbian Ground Squirrel in the Rocky Mountains and into Oregon, the Rock and Spotted Ground Squirrels in Texas, and the Arctic Ground Squirrel in Alaska and the Arctic Circle.
Latin Name: Marmota monax
This is a native of North America and is found widely as far north as Alaska, south to Georgia, throughout eastern Canada and the U.S., throughout the central U.S. and western Canada and just touching Washington in the western U.S. This species is the one featured for “Groundhog Day” events.
Latin Name: Ondatra zibethica
These are native animals in North America and are found from the Arctic in northern Canada to Alaska and south throughout the U.S. and northern Mexico. They are found in every mainland state except Florida.
Latin Name: Dasypus novemcinctus
This animal is native to South America. Millions of years ago when the narrow link formed between Panama and South America it enabled land animals to move northward. It is interesting that it was not until the late 1800’s that the armadillo finally crossed into the United States and it now is expanding its range further. About the same time that it entered Texas on its own it was introduced by humans into Florida. It now occurs as far north as southern Illinois, southern Nebraska, and southern Indiana, and along the east coast to South Carolina and west to New Mexico.
Latin Name: Castor canadensis
This is a native animal in North America and is found in every U.S. state including Alaska, as well as coast to coast in Canada. It is one of only two species of beavers in North America, the second being the Mountain Beaver that is restricted to the Pacific Northwest and which is much smaller and in a separate family of rodents.
Latin Name: Didelphis virginiana
The opossum is a native of eastern North America, but was introduced to the west coast and now occurs from Washington to southern California as well as in the entire eastern half of the U.S., south throughout much of Mexico, and north along western Mexico into Arizona.
Latin Name: Thomomys sp.
These are native gophers in western North America, with nearly 10 species in the genus.
Latin Name: Cynomys sp.
These are native animals in western North America and have been introduced to some areas east of the Mississippi River as well. The Black-tailed Prairie Dog is one of the most widespread species in this group, occurring from southern Canada to northern Mexico.
Native animals in North America, comprising several genera of which Sciurus seems to be the most important with respect to their structural nuisance potential. The Eastern Gray Squirrel is very widely found, due to its introduction from its native eastern U.S. into the western states. Fox squirrels also represent a large group of widespread species.
Latin Name: Spilogale sp.
There are two species of spotted skunks that are native to North America, and together they cover nearly all areas of all mainland states and into British Columbia. The western spotted skunk occurs from B.C. south into Mexico and from the west coast east to just east of the Rocky Mountains. The eastern species if found throughout most of the eastern half of the U.S. from the Great Plains to the east coast.
Latin Name: Mephitis mephitis
This is a native skunk in North America and ranges from all of southern Canada through every U.S. mainland state and south into northern Mexico.
At least 84 species in this genus, with Microtus pennsylvanicus most prevalent east of the Rocky Mountains and north into central Alaska, and M. californicus most common in the western states. These are native animals.
Latin Name: Odocoileus virginianus
This is a native deer in North America and is found in every mainland state, in the southern half of all southern Provinces of Canada, and south throughout Mexico and Central America and into South America as far as Peru. It is uncommon in California, Nevada, and Utah. It has been introduced into New Zealand and some countries of Europe.